June 1992

Officers

Restaurant CoordinatorLeigh Knox 591·9114

Speaker's BureauStill Looking

Steering CommitteeBrenda Michel 236·5838:';Iargie Hazelton 236·8346Joan Swee 252-2295

Secretary-TreasurerDick Swee 252·2295

Program CoordinatorNeed Volunteer

MembershipJoAnn von Rohr 282-1721

ReturnedPeace Corps Volunteers of

Oregon/PortlandVolume 11Number 6

A TASTE OF ATHENS

Corne for a wonderful Greek treat June 14 at 5:30. We'll be cheering"Yas ou" as we share Greek salad, dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves),Pastitsio (long macaroni layered with meat sauce topped with "BesamelaSauce"), Mousaka, (layers of fried Egg Plant, zucchini, potatoes, freshground meat sauce topped with Besamela Sauce), Athenian Chicken, Gyrobeef, and rice.

NewsletterMike Waite 206-574-7455Mary Lynn Waite 206·574-7455Karla Green

Development EducationGabriella Kotubetey 254-5161

This newslettsr is published by theReturned Peece Corps Volunteersof

WHERE:WHEN:TIME:

Touch of Athens, 11525 SW Barnes Rd, Portland.June 14,5:30

OregonlPortlendP.O. Box 802Portlend, OR 97207

Submissions for the July 1992newsletter should be received byJuly 22th. Mail to

Mike Waite4711 NE 112th St.Vancouver, We 98686

We'll be at a Touch of Athens, 11525 SW Barnes Rd, Portland(646-6889). Take the Cedar Hills Blvd. exit from Hwy 26(Sunset Hwy) & go straight (from the East) or North and thenleft at T-junction (from the West). Price is $10.00 including tip.

Please call Leigh Knox at 503-591-9114, Thursday night, June11th and leave your name and the of people coming, (phone # is

helpful, too) on the answering machine (or tell a person if one answers!)

BRENDA'S CORNER

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

The 175th Annual Peace Corps Potluck held May 17th atthe Fulton Park Community Center on SW Miles Streetwas deemed a huge success by all 80 guests. Set-up andclean-up crews worked diligently to ...well, set-up andclean-up. Many thanks to them for their efforts. Thefood was bountiful, and as always, delicious. And theMarimba band, ZUVA, was every bit as wonderful aspredicted.

Amazingly, we kept on schedule, almost to the minute,the entire afternoon. We had a half-hour "Talk Show"during which officers were introduced to and thanked bythe membership; upcoming events were announced; the"ational conference was discussed; the Camp-Out inAugust was described and door prizes awarded.

Dick Fay won a trip around the world. Peter Walker wona book entitled "The Oral History of Peace Corps". DickFay also won next year's calendar; Shirley Forsberg wonthis year's calendar; one of the Samuel's boys won a freemembership to our group; and Ed Warmouth won a year'sduty as Program Coordinator. It's not clear which of theabove door-prizes are real and which are just for gigglesand grins....

THE STARLIGHT PARADE. Good news! Excellentne\vs Awesome, dynamite news! We marched in thisyear's Starlight Parade, Saturday night, May 30th. Wewere 20 strong, proud, brave and free "out-walkers" fromthe greater PtldNancouver metropolitan area. We markedthe 31st anniversary of Peace Corps by carrying 5'x 8'flags, except for the two RPCVs leading the group whocarried the Peace Corps banner. Everybody worecolorful, traditional and authentic clothing native to ourcountries of service and each of us carried a lantern --­"typically the only source of light for many volunteersduring their two year term of service overseas".

We were entry 27 of 98. The weather was perfect. Wewere extremely well received by spectators who cheeredand clapped for us and shouted "Thank you". It was athrill, a religious experience for those of us who marched.Next year, I'd like to see our contingent be 200 strong.Mark your calendar now, for then. I'm keeping the faith.Thank you very much.

T·SHIRTS FOR FUN AND PROFIT. We've beentalking about designing a T-Shirt for our group and/or tosell to others for a very long time. An official designmeeting is scheduled for 9:30 Saturday morning, June20th at my office; Blue Sky Research, SW 3rd and Alder,The Willamette Bldg. 8th Floor. We will have coffee anddoughnuts, a look at fabulous Graphic Arts magazines(the finest in the business); access to huge computer filesof "clip art" and a nice view of the city to the south andMt. Hood to the east. With these various and sundrytools we will collectively and very, very creatively comeup with a T-Shirt design to save the world and pleaseeven the most finicky. Let me know you're coming.236-5838 at home or 222-9571 at the office.

SPEAKERS BUREAU COORDINATOR, for the 1992­93 school year. I've been doing this job (as well as someothers within our group) and would like to encourage youto consider taking it on in the fall. I would also considersharing the Speakers Bureau Coordinator position with apartner, if working on a team would feel morecomfortable for you.

We work very closely with the World Affairs Council's"International Qassroom Program" (YCP) which isdesigned to bring international students (and now, RPCVsas well) from local colleges and universities intoclassrooms so others may learn about and ask questionsof people from other parts of the world.

This cooperative effort has facilitated coordination effortsand has honestly made the RPCV Speakers BureauCoordinator's job much easier--it's as simple as that. Atthis point, a majority of requests for speakers come fromthe schools (K-12 and post high-school, too). The WorldAffairs Council has done an excellent job of getting theword out about the International Qassroom Program--somuch of the calling is actually done by them becauseteachers contact the ICP Coordinator at the WAC torequest speakers from certain parts of the world orperhaps speakers who can speak to specific issues such asenvironment or health or education, for example. Ourmost important role is to provide them with accurate listsof available RPCV's and assist them in engaging speakersfrom our group to match requests from the community.

Which brings me the issue of SPEAKERS for theSpeakers Bureau. If YOU are available during the dayand would like to speak to groups, be sure to make that

fact known when you send in your membership renewalform. If you haven't been contacted by me or by theWAC this year, it is probably because we don't knowabout you or because a "book-keeping" error was madeand you fell of the list. We've successfully met teacher'sneed for speakers this past year but could really use abroader base of RPCVs to choose from. If you'd like todo some presentations but have restricted availability oraudience age preferences or whatever, please detail it outfor me; I/we can handle your specifications.

The Speakers Bureau Coordinator, like the ProgramCoordinator position does not require a huge timecommitment nor is it a pain in the ole patoot. It doesrequire intermittent short bursts of concentrated energy.Bringing the world back home is our third goal. If yourinvestment in the cause is still stirring inside, considerputting it into action by being a liaison between worlds.

TREE PLANTING. In the fall, we will meet on somegorgeous autumn Saturday morning. The air will beexceedingly crisp. Yellow, orange and red leaves willhave started to fall. Your very soul will yearn to be setfree within the boundless limits of the plaids on yourflannel shirt. Your thermos will be filled with the hotbeverage you like best. You know---primevally,primordially, fundamentally, spiritually---what a tree doesfor like on the planet. You know you'll have to clean thegarage if you don't excuse yourself and do this instead.I have offered us up to THE FRIENDS OF TREES.

In the fall, when tree planting starts, we will gathertogether in one of Portland's neighborhoods and planttrees for them and for us and for the Earth and for ourvery souls. You'll call me or leave a message on mymachine letting me know you'll be there, with a friend orlover, in work clothes, with gloves, and a thermos full ofthe hot beverage you like best to plant trees for theneighborhood, for us, for the Earth and for our very souls.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL PARK

BEAVER BASEBALL! 7 O'clock, Saturday night, July18th. Beavers vs. Colorado Springs. Bring some kids.We need 25 bodies for group rates which are as follows:Box seats $5.50; Reserved $4.50; General Admission

Adult $3.50; General Admission Kids $1.50.

I'd sort of like to get box seats on the third base line.But, if we bring kids (which I'd really like to do), it'd bea bit expensive. We could go General Admission. Callme with your name and numbers [phone, body count, andages] to reserve your place and let me know your

preferences for seats. Call me now so I can see if wehave 25 interested anybodies. (236-5838 home/message)

Listen, Pal. You Know you've always wanted to go to agame! This is a wonderful opportunity to: sit around ina ball park, smell air, drink beer, girllboy/people watch,do some healthy yelling, cheer a good effort, and shootthe breeze with other hip/coollfresh/talented/funny/goodpeople (that's us). Yeah.

As you gaze into the summer night-time sky,May you feel the glow of God's love in your heart.And may EVERY star you see, represent a Blessing

to you and to those you love.

OTHER RPCV NEWS

WORLD WISE SCHOOLS NEEDS RPCVs

World Wise Schools, an exchange of letters betweenvolunteers in the field and students in the United States,also seeks the valuable input of returned Volunteers.

RPCVs can act as speakers for schools and organizationsin their community, serve as liaisons to teachers toprovide insight into the Volunteer experience, and theymay serve as country information resources, providingteachers with little-known or hard to find informationabout their countries of service. With this, of course,comes the satisfaction of enriching the world view ofyoung people in America... and possibly "planting theseeds" for future Volunteers.

If you are interested in finding out more about theprogram, please contact: Sue Anne Athens, RPCVCoordinator, World Wise Schools, Peace Corps, 1990 KStreet N.W., Washington D.C. 20003.

PEACE CORPS RETURNS TO THEPHILIPPINES

On March 27, twenty-five Volunteers left San Franciscoen route to the Philippines. The Peace Corps is returningto the Philippines after an absence of almost two years.

The new group of Volunteers will initiate a project, theSmall Island Integrated Development project (SID),designed as a team concept to promote an integratedapproach to solving problems of poverty,underdevelopment and environmental degradation in thesmall islands of the Philippines. Three islands located inthe central and northern areas of the country have beenselected to meet vital environmental and agriculturalproduction needs in these regions of the Philippines.

The Filipino people were one of the first to welcome thePeace Corps in 1961. For 30 years, over 6,500Volunteers have worked on a variety of projects includingmore traditional programs in the first two decades andexpanding in the 80s to more technical projects such asAgriculture Production, Fisheries, and Water Sanitation.In June of 1990, all 261 Volunteers serving in thePhilippines were evacuated for security reasons.

Commenting on the agency's resumption of programmingin the Philippines, Peace Corps Director Elaine Chao said,"I am pleased that the Peace Corps is returning to thePhilippines. When we left the Pacific, we left behind notonly our projects, but our friends. The Filipino people arewelcoming Peace Corps with open arms and with thehope for a strengthened relationship for the next decade."

TREES FOR THE FUTURE

Dave Deppner is a RPCV/Phillipines, 72-76 who is stilldoing what he began as a volunteer. He is the Director ofa non-profit organization that assists the people of theworld's developing communities to save their lands andway of life by bringing back the trees, and eventually theforests. Called "Trees for the Future, he writes that he islooking for people (particularly RPCVs) to canvas - doorto door - to tell people about us and ask for their support.

Furthermore, Dave's program is willing to pay the persondoing the canvassing half (50%) of all the funds they areable to generate. Dave adds that there is a possibility foradditional staff positions as the donor base increases, andRPCVs often have the in-country experience and skillsneeded. For more information, and/or a starter kit,contact them at 11306 Estona Drive, P.O. Box 1786,Silver Spring, MD 20915 or phone (301)929-0238.

GLOBAL EDUCATION MATERIALS

TechnoServe, 1991 winner of the Presidential End HungerAward, has initiated a teaching case program to share theorganization's "lessons learned" with U.S. university-leveleducators and students. The cases provide educators witha package of engaging tools to expose students to variouscomplexities of international economic development andmanagement. Set in Peru, Nigeria, and Ghana, availablecases explore: environmental implications of watermismanagement in a desert irrigation scheme; issues ofhyperinflation and how businesses cope; management ofa global NGO; centralization vs. decentralization; programquality control; impact of improved agroprocessingtechnologies on women; partnerships between "northern"and "southern" NGOs; and the process of assessing and

building community commitment. Upconimg cases willassess feasibility of agricultural enterprises and pros andcons of importing the "Green Revolution." Teacherpackets sell for $20, slides- $10, student versions-$1.75.Contact TECHNOSERVE, 49 Day Street, Norwalk, CT.06854. (203) 852-0377.

NEW MEMBERS JUNE 1992

Thomas Kohl India 68-70

Gardner Locke Ecuador 72-75

Sean Rose Ghana 88-90

Shelley King Nepal 66-68

Lon Lembert Honduras 69-72

Robin Teater Botswana 81-84Tanzania 89

Diane Laughter Togo 81-84

ATTENTION SENIOR RPCVs

Returned Volunteer Services has information available forsenior RPCVs that will help lead you to local resources­Senior Volunteer Fact Sheets and Senior VolunteerResource Kits.

Senior Volunteer FactSheets contain information aboutsenior-related services and organizations in all U.S. states.Although the information on the Fact Sheets is a bitoutdated (a few years old), the resources are still valuableand may differ by only an address or telephone change.The information about Area Agencies on Aging includeshealth care, counseling, employment, legal referrals,housing alternatives and volunteer programs. The FactSheets also contain information of the AmericanAssociation of Retired Persons (AARP) Area Offices,Veterans Administration programs, employment security,social security offices, and more. Please indicate forwhich states you are requesting sheets.

If you are a senior RPCV, you may have received aSenior Volunteer Resource Kit at you COS conference.If not, you may request one by writing to RVS. The kitcontains information on social security, retirement and jobsearch workshops. Keep in mind that if you are interestedin job fairs, it's best to check with local senior centersabout upcoming events.

To request Fact Sheets or a Senior Volunteer ResourceKit, write: Returned Volunteer Services, Peace Corps,Washington, DC, 20526.

Peace Corpsembarks inE. EuropeBy DIANA KUNDEDallas Ajorning News

DALLAS - Jerry Wirth is

. about to embark on a career. adventure.

The 26-year·old fmancialanalyst will be going to Estonia in July asa Peace Corps volunteer. He'll be part ofthe first group to go to that newly inde­pendent country.

"I wanted to explore a little bit, to learna liltle bit more about myself and a lotmore about the world," he says.

Wirth doesn't know yet exactly wherehe'll be statio'ned for his two years ofservice. He does know that he'll probablybe using his background in finance. inter­national business and agribusiness innewly privatized agriculture.

The venerable Peace Corps is embark­ing on a new direction, spurred by the dis­integration of the former Soviet Union.

Volunteers are heading for the firsttime intd such countries as the Balties,Russia and Ukraine. They are already inPoland, Butgaria. Czechoslovakia andHungary.

Business skills and experience are inhot demand by the host countries.

"It's a high-priority program. We're re­cruiting quite heavily;" says Ray S.Ezelle. who manages the Dallas-area re­cruitment office.

Wirth first thought about the PeaceCorps when he was about to graduatefrom Illinois State UnIversity about fouryears ago.

Insteadi·"a very good offer came alongfrom Caterpitlar. I was persuaded by the

,money and the opportunity. I'm glad Itook It. It'll given me a more valuable edu-

. '. catiOIL".;,l" ':. . ......:':T'',he Sovlet;Unlon wasn't an op-. ' ; -- ; ..', tlon than, or even a gleam in

. i : . '. the eye ofIi Peaca Corps exec.. . utive: ,'.::":' . I :. t .

That's all changed; of eouree. Andmeenwhlle, so had WIrth•.~.. .",

In Dallae, working for a Onance eubeld.lary of Caterpillar, he was content. AI•.most. He likedhis job, he liked the campa- .liYO he liked his comfortable life.

.. r·,dIt had nothing to do with the job. It;,r'bed to do with me seeing myeelf at the be­~~g of a career ttack that Once I got

started. began to getvested. to get stockoptions.... well, one thing leads to anoth·er.

"My thought was that now was the timeto do It, if I was ever going to," he said., At 26, Wirth Is younger than most oflhebusiness volunteers going to the Balticaend other former Soviet states. "I'm going'

t·ra:::7n~:u:;::::'~:u:~:; ;: fonner Sanwa Bank executive from Call·

• Cornia now In Bulgaria with his wife, a 10­· glStlCll manager. A Weat Coast executivei with Heidrick'" Struggles Inc.. whosaI first Peace Corps hitch was in the 1960s, Is

back - this time In Poland., There are already 229 volunteers in Po·i land, according to Joseph H. Therrien,• area manager for Peace Corps recruit-• ment in San Francisco. A total of 60 -· teachers of English as well as business

professionals - will go to the three Balticcountries this summer.

By year's end. there will be volunteers: in Russia and Ukraine. Elaine L. Chao,

Peace Corps Uirector, projects a total of620 volunteers heading to the Baltics andthe new Commonwealth of IndependentStates in the next two years.

T'he response from business pro­

fessionals has been exciting,she said. "I think Americansare responding with their

hearts. They want to make a difference.They want to participate in history.". Already, the Peace Corps is seeing ahigher-than-usual extension rate from theEastern European volunteers. Typically,10 percent want to continue service anoth­er two years. The rate for volunteers inPoland is 25 percent. said Therrien.. Now for some nuts and bolts. You don'tget rich in the, ~eace Cqrps. You get a liv­ing allowance roughly equivalent to whatsomeorie doing your work would make inthe host country.

Vou get $200 additional per month.: which accumulates in a non-interest-bear­I ing account. With two years service andI three months of traiuing, there's $5,400I wailing when you leave. 'i. ,It takes from six to nine months to proc­

ess an application; the'Peace Corps says- but you'll hear in about 10 days wheth­er you meet broad qUalifications. General­ly speaking, you need a degree, experi­ence or a combination of both.. Business volunteers are going to all

cauotries. For example, recently two Tex­ans went to Uganda and Mongolia.,Other popular specialties are industrial

g arts teachers and nurses. But there's a~ . whole IIst.Il is the host country that asks

1· for particular skills and structures the as­signment.

ITherrien says the Peace Corps gets in

r your blood. He volunteered in Colombiaf· during the early '70s. He believes he got at

,. least as much as he gave. He returned to~. marketing and advertising. Now, with the1kids out of college, he's back - marketing

!pe Peace Corps in the states.~ flIt's time,!' he says, lito do things I find

nutritious for the soul."

The newspaper article on the leftappeared in the May 28 Oregonian.

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REGIONAL CAMPOUTThe second annual NorthwestRegion RPCV Campout will takeplace at camp WI-NE-MAChristian Camp near Cloverdale,OR. Reservations have been madefor a location near the beach in anarea named Don's Hide-away.

Last years campout was sosuccessful that everyone chose todo it again. The agenda, like lastyears is: No Agenda. There willbe one meal together, otherwise it'seach to their own. More detailsand a map will be provided infuture newsletters.

Make some room in your busyschedule for a relaxing time withgood friends on the Oregon Coast.

Ilffl~~lltiJJh;l.'JJ '.I... h. ... ·.t"_;.l.,.~.

Peace Corpsembarks inE. EuropeBy DIANA KUNDE .Dallas fvJ0rning News

DAliLAS - Jerry Wirth is

. . about to embark on a career," adventure.

The 26·year·old financialanalyst will be going to Estonia in July asa Peace Corps voiunteer. He'll be part ofthe first group to go to that newiy inde·pendent country.. "1 wanted to explore a little bit, to learna little bit more about myself and a lotmore about the world," he says.

Wirth doesn't know yet exactly wherehe'll be stalioned for his two years ofservice. He does know that he'll probablybe using his background in finance, inter·national business and agribusiness innewly privatized agriculture.

The venerable Peace Corps is embark­ing on a new direction, spurred by the dis­Integration of the former Soviet Union.

Volunteers are heading for the firsttime intQ such countries as the Baltics,Russia and Ukraine. They are already inPoland, Bulgaria, Czechosiovakia andHungary.

Business skills and experience are inhot demand by the host countries.

"It's a high-priority program. We're re­cruiting quite heavily:" says Ray S.Ezelle, who manages the Dallas-area re­cruitment office.

Wirth first thought about the PeaceCorpswhen he was ahout to graduatefrom Illinois State University about fouryears ago,

Instead:·"a very good offer came alongfrom Caterpillar. I was persuaded by the

:money and the opportunity. I'm glad I.' took It. It'll i:lven me a more valuable edu­',~ catlon.".:,( '.:,', , .;::-.,:~:T":-- he Sovlet;Unlon wasn't an op·. ' ;: ; ".. tlon then, or even a gleam in. , : : .. the eye of a Peace Corps exec·. ~ , utive: .'.-:".:'~ ;'~ '.. "..

That's all changed; of course. And .meanwWle, so had WIrth..~ , ,,' .. '".

In Dallas, working for Ii Ilnance subsld.iary of Caterpillar, he was content. Al.most. He liked his job, he liked the compa- .i!YI he lIked his corilfortable life. .

:.'; f?~lt had nothing to do with the job. It .i!'·.hl\qto do with me seeing myself at the be­:t,jiJ,!nIng of a career track that once I got

started, began to get'Vested, to get stockoptions.... well, one thing leads to anoth-er; .

"My thought was that now was the timeto do it, if I was ever going to," he said.! At 26, Wirth is younger than most of thebusiness volunteers going to the Baltlcsand other former Sovlet states. "I'm going

~to b~ the greel)horn op.th~blocki:he ) '~'.IllYB. . '

, r.- Other recent business recmlts include a'r fanner Sanwa Bank executive from Call·I' fornla now In Bulgaria with his wife, a lo-r gfStlCB manager. A West CoaBt executiveI with Heidrick'" Struggles Inc., whoseI first Peace Corps hitch was in the 1960s, Is': back - this time tn Poland.I There are aI~eady 229 volunteers in Po·

!~~~~,~~~o:~~~o~op1eo:~~~~j,r~:~~:t't:, ment in San Francisco. A total of60­. teachers of English as well as business

professionals - will go to the three Balticcountries this summer.

Dy year's end, there will be volunteersIn Russia and Ukraine. Elaine L. Chao,Peace Corps ~irector, projects a total of620 volunteers heading to the Baltics andthe new Commonwealth oflndependentStates in the next two years.

The response from business pro·fessionals has been exciting,she said. "1 think Americansare responding with their

hearts. They want to make a difference.They want to participate in history.". Already, the Peace Corps is seeing ahigher-than-usual extension rate from theEastern European volunteers. Typically,10 percent want to continue service anoth­er two years. The rate for volunteers inPoland is 25 percent, said Therrien.. Now for some nuts and bolts. You don'tget rich in the Peace Corps. You get a liv­ing allowal\ceroughly equivalent to whatsomeorie doing your work would make in

i' the host country.. I You get $200 additional per month,I which accumulates in a non-interest-bear­j Ing account. With two years service andI three months of training, there's $5,400, waiting when you leave.I It takes from six to nine months to proc­;. ess an appiication; ihe Peace Corps says': - but you'll hear in about 10 days wheth­

er you meet broad qualifications. General­ly speal,ing, you need a degree, experi·ence or a comhination ofboth.

I' • Business volunteers are going to allcountries. For example, recentiy two Tex­ans went to Uganda and Mongolia.

.. Other popular specialties are industrial~ arts teachers and nurses. But there's a~ whole list. It is the host country that asks

I for particnlar skills and structures the as­stgnment.

• Therrien says the Peace Corps gets inyour blood. He voiunteered in Colombiaduring the eariy '70s. He believes he got at

'. least as much as he gave. He returned to". marketihg and advertising. Now, with the1kids out of college, he's back - marketing

tpe Peace Corps in the states.~ "It's time," he says, Uta do things I find

nutritious for the soul."

The newspaper article on the leftappeared in the May 28 Oregonian.

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REGIONAL CAMPOUTThe second annual NorthwestRegion RPCV Campout will takeplace at camp WI-NE-MAChristian Camp near Cloverdale,OR. Reservations have been madefor a location near the beach in anarea named Dan's Hide-away.

Last years campout was sosuccessful that everyone chose todo it again. The agenda, like lastyears is: No Agenda. There willbe one meal together, otherwise it'seach to their own. More detailsand a map will be provided infuture newsletters.

Make some room in your busyschedule for a relaxing time withgood friends on the Oregon Coast.

DIRECTOR VISITS AFRICA+- Peace Corps Director Elaine L Chao traveled to Africa this monthfor a 1O-day visit with Peace Corps Volunteers and staff in Sierra Leone, COte d'ivoire. Niger, andGabon. Director Chao met with govemment leaders in these countries to strengthen relations andreinforce support of sectors in which Peace Corps Volunteers are actively involved. She also visitedvarious Peace Corps project sites. Director Chao has stated that one of her first priorities is to meetas many Volunteers in the field as possible. Director Chao has already made trips to Bulgaria,Honduras, Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka during which she visited with staff and Volunteers and hasplans to visit many more Volunteers in the future.

PEACE CORPSof the United States

A Monthly Summary January 1992

KNIGHT FOUNDATION GRANT+- The Knight Foundation has awarded a $331,663 grant toexpand the Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program - a successful program that trains returned Peace­Corps Volunteers for hard-to-fillteacher positions in public schools throughout the United Stales.The grantwill support the developmentof the Peace Corps Fellows/USAprogram at seven collegesand universities. The program sites are in cities where the foundation supports a broad range ofcommunity initiatives, including many in education. The Knight Foundation's grant will be used forprogram development, scholarships and other costs. The Fellows are men and women who havespent two years teaching overseas with the Peace Corps. Many of the former Peace CorpsVolunteers are bilingual and have undergraduate degrees in math, science and English. The PeaceCorps Fellows make a two year teaching commitment to U.S. schools while completing a master'sdegree in education. .

LUGAR RE·INTRODUCES PEACE CORPS IN URUGUAY+- United States Senator RichardLugar of Indiana, along with President Louis Alberto Lacalle, swore 24 U.S. citizens into the PeaceCorps program in Uruguay this month. After an 18-year hiatus. the Peace Corps has reopened itsoperation in Uruguay with programs in the environment and small business development. SenatorLugar, as leader of a Presidential delegation of Administration and Congressional officials. alsopromoted the Peace Corps as a vehicle for beller relations with the U.S. in Nicaragua, EI Salvador.Argentina, and Chile. where he met with leaders of all four countries.

WORLDWIDE BELL-RINGING CEREMONY+- In celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr., Peace Corps Director Elaine L. Chao sent a cable to all Peace Corps posts, askingoverseas staff to commemorate the life and vision of Dr. King by participating at 12:00 noon onJanuary 20 in a global bell-ringing ceremony. In her cable, Director Chao said. "Let us all- fromAfrica, to Asia, to Latin America, to Eastern Europe and the Balties - join in the recognition of thisgreat man by participating in a global bell-ringing ceremony. It is appropriate that the Peace Corps

acknowledge Dr. King's call for equality and human dignity for it Is a dream of Peace Corps as well."Not only does the bell-ringing ceremony underscore the Importance of freedom in our nation. but.as Director Chao comments. "It acknowledges the birth of freedom worldwide. inclUding therepublics of the formerSovietUnion. Letus ring bells in celebration as a sign of support of civil rightsefforts everywhere. On August 28. 1963. Dr. King said. 'Let freedom ring ...from every village andhamlet ...' On January 20. Peace Corps took another step in making this dream come trueworldwide:'

TEACHERS FOR EL PASO+- University of Texas at EI Paso President and member of thePresident's Commission on Hispanic Education Diana S. Natalicio and Peace Corps DirectorElaine L Chao. signed an agreement establishing a Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program at theUniversity of Texas at EI Paso on January 16 at Peace Corps headquarters In Washington. D.C.As students in the Collegeof Education. the returned Peace Corps Volunteers will teach in the U.S.­Mexican borderareawhileparticipating in an alternative teacher certification program thatprovidespreparation for a teaching career in either elementary or special education. The Peace CorpsFellows will serve as teachers in a public sChool classroom while pursuing initial Texas teachercertification, and will then enroll in coursework leading to a master's degree. "The Peace Corps ispleased to be able to help Texas address its special needs in education through the Peace CorpsFellows/USA Program." said Director Chao.

PENNSYLVANIA BECOMES WORLD-WISE- Peace Corps Director Elaine L. Chao and UnitedStates Representative Thomas J. Ridge announced that Pennsylvania. through an educationalpartnership with the Peace Corps' World Wise Schools program, has become a World Wise·Schools State. Created in 1989, World Wise Schools has given more than 180.000 United Statesstudents in grades three through twelve an opportunity to learn about many of the countries wherePeace Corps Volunteers serve. "Pennsylvania's decision to become 'World Wise' will help usexpand this successful geography awareness program throughout the state." Director Chao said.'World Wise Schools is an exciting way for these students to leam about the world. And, in additionto promoting the study of geography, the program encourages American students to learn moreabout other cultures and highlights the importance of volunteer service in a free society:'

PEACE CORPS ASSISTS BALTICS- Progress continues on the development of Peace Corpsprograms in the Baltic nations of Estonia. Latvia. and Uthuania. This month a country negotiationand program design assessment team visited all three Baltic nations to explore potential programand location options for Volunteers. It is projected that 60 Volunteers will be sworn in and assignedto sites by September of this year. Of the 60, twenty Volunteers will be placed in each country towork in small enterprise development and English teaching. This is a historicpartnership for PeaceCorps as it will mark the first time that Peace Corps will serve in the Ballies.

The PEACE CORPS REPORT is published monthly. Inquiries or address changes should be addressed toPEACE CORPS REPORT; Room 8500,1990 K St, NW., Washington, D.C. 20526. Editor: Kathy Paukune.

June 14

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July 9-11

July 18

August 14·16

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Restaurant Meeting: A Touch of Athens Greek dining

Tee shirt design. 9:30 Saturday morning. Blae Sky Research, SW 3rd.and Alder, Willamelte Bldg. 8th Floor.

RPCV National Annual Conference, Fayetteville, AR.

Beaver Baseball Civic Stadium. 7:00

Regional Campoul. Camp Wi-Ne-Ma, Cloverdale, OR.

RETURNED PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERSOF OREGON/PORTLANDP.O. Box 802Portland, OR 97207